


Kill of the Night

by Ford_Ye_Fiji



Series: A Hazy Shade of Winter [2]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Boop de boop its a sequel, Diego being a good brother (grudgingly), FIVE TAKE CARE OF URSELF U DING DONG, Family Bonding, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Let Five sleep 2k19, Luther is trying to be better, The Handler is creepy af, allison smacks sense into peeps, because uh yeah I need to take care of the commission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-01 04:12:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18328379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ford_Ye_Fiji/pseuds/Ford_Ye_Fiji
Summary: Harold Jenkins is dead, Vanya is freed, the apocalypse is averted....Or is it?





	1. I’m gonna lure you into the dark

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place between the third chapter of the last story and the epilogue :)

They’d stopped the apocalypse. He still couldn’t really believe it. His end goal, one he’d been working towards for forty-five years, all of his life really, had been accomplished.

Klaus was right.

What was he going to do now? 

He looked to his right, the newspaper he’d scrambled for just early this morning tossed carelessly on the nightstand. He hadn’t realized it had been brought with him when they’d relocated him to his room.

His room. The walls were still covered floor to ceiling with chalk scribbles but other than that it was mostly unchanged. He hadn’t realized how untouched it really was till now. Like they’d just... left it as it was when he’d vanished. He knew the old man had no such sentiments about him, that silly extravagant portrait of him on the wall was just another calculated manipulation. _Don’t_ _disobey_ _your_ _father_. _Look_ _what_ _happens_ _when_ _you_ _do._

It made him a little sick to think he’d been used as a reason for his siblings to do what their father said.

A soft knock on the door broke him out of his thoughts. Allison smiled at him. Five frowned before realizing she was waiting for permission, "Come in I guess."

She moved forward, flipping open her notepad.

Five frowned, reading it, "Vanya has a concert tonight?"

Allison nodded, and Five arched an eyebrow, "Are you sure that’s wise? She hasn’t had any time at all practicing control."

Allison shrugged, scribbling down her response. Five hummed, "Yes I know it’s important, but accidentally blowing up an opera house isn’t the best way to help stabilize her."

Allison huffed disapprovingly, pointedly writing and underlining two words. Five rolled his eyes, "Family bonding...? You want us to all go to the concert, don’t you." He chewed on his lip considering carefully, eyes narrowed.

He had all the time in the world, didn’t he? Harold Jenkins was dead, the apocalypse was over, his family was _safe_. Like Klaus said, it was an addiction. He had addicted too much of his time to thinking about the apocalypse. They were safe now. It was over.

Allison wrote again and Five pressed his lips into a thin line at the obvious guilt trip. " _She_ _wants_ _to_ _do_ _this_."

He could finally see his sister play. He could see her shine, be extraordinary after so long being told by their father she was nothing. Actually, the concert might even help her mood and woefully low confidence.

As long as nothing happened, she should be fine...

Five's mouth twisted and he avoided looking at Allison, "Sure, alright."

He could feel her eyes widen and he snorted, sinking back against his pillows. Inactivity was something he was going to have to get used too, and even if the shrapnel wound was hardly an injury to be worried about, he supposed he could take time to let it heal now. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the weight of her surprised stare, "Wake me when it’s time to go."

He presumed she nodded yes, before softly closing his door.

After a few moments, Five opened one eye and glowered at the mannequin in the corner, "Delores, I am _not_ going soft."

He grumbled and rolled over, eyes drifting shut, almost against his will. He hadn’t realized quite how tired he really was.

Before long, he really was sound asleep, the first willing nap he’d taken in almost forty five years.


	2. I'm gonna catch ya, I’m gonna get ya, get ya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Me: I really should pace these chapters, I only have so many. I should update once a week like a good fic writer.
> 
> Also me: nah. IM GONNA UPDATE NOW

Vanya shook her head, "I'm not sure about doing this anymore."

Allison tilted her head, a soft fond sort of smile. She brushed her hair away from her face and put her hands on her sister's shoulders. She didn’t have to write anything on her notepad for Vanya to understand her.

Allison had complete faith in her.

Vanya nodded and Allison's smile broadened.

How could Vanya have ever lost faith in her sister? Allison took her hand and patted it gently before leading her out of the door to her apartment. Once they’d made it outside, Diego saw them and shouted from out the window of the idling car, "What took you so long?"

Allison rolled her eyes and opened the door. She pushed herself in and Klaus whined from the cramped backseat. Vanya closed the door behind them, glancing sympathetically at Allison wedged next to her in the middle. Diego huffed, crossing his arms from the front seat, as Five took the car out of park, "Why do _you_ get to drive?"

Five growled, speeding up, "I’m a better driver than Klaus." 

Allison folded her arms as Vanya spoke quietly, a hesitant mischievousness in her voice, “That doesn’t make any sense, Diego can drive and so can Allison."

Five glanced into the mirror and then back at the road again, looking a little proud of her. Diego nodded in agreement, "Yeah, little brother, thirteen year olds shouldn’t drive."

Five's brows furrowed, mouth twisting, "I’m _not_ thirteen and if you call me your little brother one more time I’ll strangle you with your seatbelt."

Klaus giggled and Five could feel Allison's disapproval on the back of his neck. Oh well.

When they got to concert hall, the Hargreeves siblings practically fell out of the car and Klaus sighed, "We need a minivan."

Diego scoffed, "A minivan? Hell no. I’m not gonna ride in a minivan."

Klaus protested, "We drove an ice cream truck!"

"Different circumstances."

Vanya's lips quirked hesitantly upwards, but her small smile dropped whenLuther clambered out of the van that had parked behind them, he sighed, "Why did I have to take the van?"

Diego looked him up and down, “There was no room for your big ass shoulders."

Five spoke at the same time he did with a curt, "Brothers who lock up their sisters in cages don’t get to ride with me."

The silence curdled awkwardly and Luther refused to look any of his siblings in the eyes. Diego, one who never hesitated to tell it how he saw it, winced at the comment. Klaus snickered, nearly tripping over his two feet, still the same even though he was supposedly sober. Allison, as always, was sympathetic, torn between feeling sorry for Luther and backing Vanya up because, yes, Five was right.

She settled on Vanya.

Vanya shrugged her shoulders, Allison trailing behind reassuringly as she pushed open the glass doors and took the first few steps inside, "We're a little early. Rehearsal and all. You should, um. You could wait in the lobby or something." She winced, "Probably should’ve waited to come."

Diego opened his mouth, about to agree but Five didn’t hesitate to stomp viciously on his foot, smiling as widely and innocently as possible, "We can wait. We don’t mind." He ground his heel mercilessly into Diego's foot, "Right?"

Diego nodded frantically.

Luther shook his head, Allison smiled, and Klaus waved a hand grandly, "Make us proud little sister!" He laughed, "Bring honor to this family."Diego finally managed to knock Five off his foot, hissing with pain, "Too late, Klaus. She can’t undo all of your crap."

Klaus nodded sagely, conceding his point with a extravagant flourish, "True, true."

Vanya smiled weakly, but warmly and gave a hesitant wave before she disappeared further into the building.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Diego snarled at Five, "What’d you do that for?"

Five hissed back, shoulders arching like the fur on a disgruntled cat, "You were going to say something stupid!"

"Was not!"

Allison clapped her hands loudly and Diego stared, "What?"

She glared furiously and Luther coughed, "Stop fighting, guys."

Diego whirled on Luther easily and Five rolled his eyes with disgust before flopping over on one of the seats like a moody teenager. Allison threw her hands up into the air and joined him as Luther and Diego began quarreling.

Klaus shook his head, "Tsk, tsk, Ben. I can’t believe we managed to stop the apocalypse like this." He giggled, eyeing the food truck outside and across the street thoughtfully, "Mmmm I want a burrito."

None of the Hargreeves siblings were at all aware of the slowly advancing enemy outside, or at least, they weren’t, until Five sat up suddenly, brows furrowed.

"Did you hear that?"

Allison tilted her head. She had heard something actually. A _woosh_ followed by a weighty metal thunk. Klaus raised an eyebrow, "What’s wrong little bro?"

Five stood, eyes widening as he turned, spotting an empty reception desk before bolting towards it, " _Shit!_ Shit shit shit!"

Allison quickly ran after him, Klaus shrugging and doing the same. Luther and Diego paused looking at each bewilderedly before following them. Five ripped open a drawer and he sucked in his breath, before grabbing the canister inside.

Allison frowned and Klaus asked, "Why is there tube mail in a desk?"

Five unscrewed the top, pulling out the letter inside. Diego raised an eyebrow incredulously, staring at Klaus, "How did you know what tube mail is?"

Klaus gasped in mock offense, "Hey I’m smart!" He glowered at an empty spot to his left, "Shut up! I am!"

Luther asked impatiently, "What’s it say Five?"

Five didn’t answer as he shoved the letter in his pocket, turning to go.

Allison grabbed Five's shoulder and shook her head warningly.

Five scoffed, "I wasn’t going to go off on my own!"

She gave him her don’t-give-me-that-crap-I’m-your-sister look. Five looked away, sighing.

Allison waited. He finally spoke, "The Handler. She knows we're here. She still thinks there’s a chance to start the apocalypse." He held up the paper, "She gave me the address to where she is presumably." He started, "Wait, shit! How’d she find me?" Five started digging through his pockets. 

Allison looked confused and Klaus tripped over his words as he clambered to sit on top of the desk to get around his siblings, legs crossed and chin in his hands, "What? The Handler? Who...?" Luther shushed him from his place peering over Five's small form. Diego swatted Luther's shoulder, "Hey, I want an explanation too."

Five pulled out a piece of candy to reveal a blinking device. His lips pressed together with frustration before dropping it and crushing it under his heel with a grudging, "Oh, she’s good."

Diego shook his head, "What the hell is that?"

Luther seemed to be getting frustrated now, "Five, what’s going on?"

Five growled with annoyance, "I don’t have time to explain it all to you right now! We need to get Vanya and go. All you need to know right now is my former employer is after us and we are all in danger."

Luther and Diego opened their mouths to protest but Allison intervened, effectively this time, smacking them both on the head with her notepad, or in Luther's case, his broad shoulders. Luther winced and Diego jerked away, "Ow! What was that for!"

Allison scribbled on her notepad before turning it around. Diego rolled his eyes, "Trust him?"

Luther sagged, "Be better siblings?"

Five gritted his teeth impatiently, "C'mon. Let’s go you numbskulls."

Klaus shrugged, his grin all teeth from his perch on the desk, "I’m in." 

Before Diego or Luther could either affirm or deny the hasty plan, as they started to argue again, Five paused. He frowned, looking at something shining, reflecting through the glass. With a shout he lurched forward and yanked Klaus off the top of the desk. Klaus spluttered and flailed as they both went down behind the desk with a horrific clatter. Luther knelt, "Woah! Five what-?” Diego had reacted with him, though with a less eloquent, "What the hell-?”

Allison bent down to make sure her brothers were okay. It was fortunate that Five had reacted so fast, for a second later, the concert hall's lobby windows exploded under a hail of gun fire.


	3. I wanna taste the way that you bleed, oh you’re my kill of the night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one, plus I had to change the rating to T because it got out of haaand

Vanya jumped, the rehearsal jerking to a stop as the members of the orchestra paused in the middle of their music. 

That was gunfire. 

Her eyes widened,  _oh no._

The conductor turned pale and gestured, "Everyone, out the back, quickly!" Her fellow musicians stood hastily, nearly tripping over each other as they hastened to get out of the hall. Vanya was the only one who stayed, so very scared for her siblings as she stared down the corridor in the massive room, gunshots echoing ominously. 

She stood suddenly as Luther ran in, supporting a rather pale Allison at his side. Vanya jumped down from the stage, violin still clutched in her hand. Luther gently deposited Allison before the stage, on the floor in front of the first row of chairs. 

Vanya hurried over, kneeling down, "What’s going on? What happened?" Allison took her hand giving her a reassuring smile. Luther looked at her, putting pressure on the red stain growing on Allison's calf, "Five said it was the commission. The time traveling police people. They’re trying to restart the apocalypse." 

Vanya shook her head, "How? Five said Leonard I mean, Harold," she winced as she said his name, "Was going to cause the apocalypse, and he’s dead." 

Luther shrugged, "I don’t know." He looked up as the gunfire continued, "I’ve got to go get Klaus, there’s not much he can do right now." He huffed, "We're going to have to retreat in here."

Luther swallowed before blurting, "Take care of her for me." 

Vanya nodded, eyes soft, "I will. I won’t let anyone hurt her." 

Luther nodded and stood, letting Vanya take over putting pressure on Allison's bullet wound. Just before he left he added, voice rough and dripping with guilt, "I’m sorry, Vanya." 

Vanya looked up with surprise, but Luther had already moved away, running towards the hallway to assist their siblings. Allison patted Vanya's hand again and smiled wanly. 

* * *

 

Vanya ducked, eyes wide, peering behind the chairs as her siblings worked. Klaus's hands trembled on her back. Allison was itching to help but she didn’t move from their cover of chairs. She wouldn’t be any good in a fight right now, hardly able to walk with her scarf tied tightly around her leg in a makeshift tourniquet. 

Luther, Diego, and Five had been driven back into the concert hall, the seemingly endless supply of soldiers in gas masks with red glowing eyes forcing them further in. Five was making quick work of most them, especially now that he’d gotten one of their guns.

Vanya could tell he was reaching his limit, though, legs trembling as he forced teleport after teleport, he must’ve gotten hurt or maybe his shrapnel wound had been torn open ( again ). Every time she saw him land he winced, hunching over his stomach as he took on the next foe in increasingly creative ways. Luther, meanwhile, on the other end of the room, would’ve been more useful if he didn’t have to keep ducking to avoid gunfire. A man went flying, just then, slamming into the wall and dropping with a revolting crack. Luther _was_ managing to land a few hits.

Five disappeared, reappearing on top of the balcony to empty the last of his bullets into a group of three below. A snap of light and he was gone again. He burst into existence on the back of one unfortunate soldier, strangling him with the belt on the gun as he gargled, tearing frantically at his throat. The man fell in a heap and Five dropped the gun, jumping away. A flash of blue and he was stumbling, trying to breathe through his exhaustion, a hand pressed against his stomach where the shrapnel had been. Vanya wished she could help, but all she could do right now was try to keep the ground from rumbling as fear for her siblings grew. 

She couldn’t lose control, not now. Not with Allison, leaning against the chairs, hurt twice over and still raring to go, not with Klaus's fingers resting comfortingly on her shoulder as he tried to see what was happening. 

Vanya started as Diego slid to a stop beside them, eyes wide, "I’ve run out of knives!" Vanya pointed at the blood dripping down his elbow, "Diego! Your arm!"

He didn’t even look, "It’s just a graze. We need to move you, I think more are coming in from the back." 

"Why don’t you throw rocks or something!" 

Diego glared at Klaus, lips curling at Klaus's wild eyes, "What the hell man does it look like this place would have  rocks ?!”

Klaus threw his hands up in the hair with exasperation and then thought better of it as a bullet pinged near the chair next to him, "I don’t know! At least I’m thinking of something!" Diego snapped, "Why don’t you go be a lookout!" 

Klaus's fists clenched, "I can be something better than a lookout!"

Allison's grip tightened and Vanya gasped when she saw why her sister had turned pale. Vanya choked out, "Guys!"

Diego whirled, a soldier had made it past Luther and Five, gun pointed right at them. There was nothing he could do- they were going to be gunned down-!

A blue glowing tentacle plucked the man right off the ground and hurled him, screaming into the wall. Diego gaped and turned. Klaus laughed wildly, the veins in his arms glowing brilliantly, Ben ( _Ben!_ ) standing before them howling as the horrors he held within disposed of the remaining soldiers with vicious efficiency. 

The siblings gaped as finally, the last of their problems were disposed of by their dead sibling. 

Klaus lowered his hands, chest heaving as Ben drew the monsters back in, elated and smiling when he saw his family staring. He didn’t even have time to wave before he faded back into nothing. 

Klaus laughed, hysterically happy, "I  _told_   you I could be useful Diego!"

Five popped into existence before them, staring at the space where Ben had been. Luther made his way over to their little group, now that the soldiers had been taken care of, "You- Ben? He’s here?"

Klaus nodded eagerly as Luther moved closer to check on Allison. Diego shook his head and Allison's grin was wide and blinding. Five blinked, hunched over himself, a wry smile twisting upwards. 

Vanya was the only one who saw it. 

One of the injured soldiers struggled upwards, lifting a pistol, aiming for the nearest target: Five. She lurched, mouth open- there was no way she could warn them, she wouldn’t be fast enough! A gunshot split the air followed by her scream, a wild uncontrolled protectiveness blew outwards, fueled by the sound of that shot, concentrated on the bullet and the one who had fired it. 

The whole exchange took less than a second and was over in half that. 

A bullet lodged itself firmly in the wall on the opposite side of the concert hall, Five was pushed backwards only a little, feet skidding along the floor, Diego and Luther moved the same, hands out to brace themselves from the sudden influx of sheer power. They weren’t harmed, her reaction more controlled, focused on the object of her outburst. 

The soldier, howled as raw power slammed into him and he burst apart with a stomach-turning tearing squelch- splattering the ground with internal organs, guts, and gore- painting it red. 

Vanya gasped, shuddering and Five turned, mouth opening with surprise. Allison gaped, Klaus blinking. Luther took a step back from his sister, trying to contain his fear. Diego didn’t move, still stuck on the bloody smear of pureed meat now ground into the carpet. 

Five turned back to Vanya who's fists dug into the ground, nails pulling up carpet, "Vanya, are you okay?"

She coughed, "I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I just- he- I didn’t- there wasn’t time-!” Allison rubbed her shoulder, trying to be comforting. Five shook his head, "Vanya, it’s okay."

Diego nodded, eyebrows raised, "Yeah. Good job, Vanya. That guy isn’t gonna bother us again."

Klaus chortled, slightly hysterical. 

Vanya calmed slowly as Luther looked around, slightly unsure as he carefully stuck to the positive, "We're not dead and he is. That’s good...?" 

Vanya finally spoke, to Five, still worried, "Are you alright?"

He never got to answer. 

Slow clapping interrupted his next words and they all turned to look up at the stage where the noise was coming from. Five choked. 

A woman grinned down at them, blood red lips pulled over unnaturally white teeth in a sickeningly sweet smile. She stopped clapping and sauntered left across the stage, every move smooth and calculated. Her crimson heels clicked down the steps, a hand preening her white-blonde bob as she spoke, "Very good. I’m rather impressed." She carefully stepped over the chunks that had once been a man but now resembled a meat that had had an unfortunate accident with a blender, clear admiration in her eyes at the quick yet messy disposal. Her long black coat swirled around her legs as she came to a stop in front of them. 

Vanya's fingers tightened around Allison's hands. Klaus, behind the two, gaped. Luther frowned, stiffening, prepared to defend the three behind him. Diego had shifted into a fighting stance as well. 

Five... Five had frozen, mouth turning down, "This would’ve been a lot more convenient if you’d stayed dead." 

She laughed, something off about it, the scar by her mouth stretching, "Oh, Five. I have missed your dry wit." She playfully tapped his nose and he flinched. 

Diego snapped, "Who the hell are you?" 

She frowned, eyeing him, "Really, Five? You know you could do so much better than these people." 

Five took a step forward, with a careless shrug, "I probably could, but that’s the case in most families." He pointed an angry finger, mouth working, "The Commission will never be an alternative option." 

The strange woman's smile was deadly, batting her eyelashes as she leaned forward again. Luther felt intensely uncomfortable, interrupting the strange back-and-forth going on, "You’re the Handler, aren’t you?"

The Handler blinked before her lips curved upwards as she took a moment to caress Five's cheek with a finger. He jerked backwards away from her touch as she spoke with well oiled words, "You told them about me?"

Klaus wrinkled his nose, "Oh my god. Oh ew!" 

She blinked as Klaus stood with disgust, "You’re flirting with him!"

Diego grabbed Five's shoulder, pulling him backwards protectively, his brother stumbling from the suddenness of the move, "What the hell, he’s thirteen!"

Five snapped, "Fifty-eight!" He didn’t move from between them, though, back into the reach of her clawed fingers.

Luther stepped forwards, a hand preventing Five from even thinking about moving towards her again, his voice was low and full of warning, "Back up."

The Handler tittered, "Not that this isn’t adorable, but I have more important business." She did take a step backwards, though, "I’ve got the world to end, I just thought I would pop in and say hello to you, Five." She smiled, "It's a shame to lose the Commission’s most valuable weapon, but I suppose it can’t be helped." 

Five managed to look intimidating despite being held back by both of his much larger brothers, "Yeah? Well how’s the face? How long did it take for you to get put back together again?"

Her eye twitched. 

She shook her head a moment later, recovering quite smoothly, "No need to stoop to such childish insults Number Five, but the apocalypse _will_ happen . You haven’t stopped anything." 

Diego scoffed, "Um? We did though." Luther nodded, "Harold Jenkins is dead."

The Handler laughed, "Harold Jenkins does not bring about the apocalypse. He merely sets the timer." She smiled triumphantly, calm, collected, and utterly assured, "Your sister, Vanya, is the bomb." 

Vanya froze, eyes wide, breath hitching.

"You may think you have it under control now, but she could explode at any minute, killing you all and destroying the world. It’s meant to happen, _fated_ to be." Her lips quirked upwards, " _Que_ _sera,_ _sera_ . What will be, _will_ be ."

Luther turned to look at Vanya. Diego couldn’t stop his sideways glance either. Vanya couldn’t get a breath in, she could feel Allison tense next to her, Klaus's eyes boring into her back like accusing daggers. Maybe it was all her imagination, but she knew they had already locked her in a cage once-

Five snarled shoving his way past his brothers, "Bullshit."

The Handler extended a hand, gently taking hold of his chin, talking to him like he really were a pet, "Don’t be silly, Number Five. Deep down you knew it was your sister this whole time. Your family causes the apocalypse." Her grip tightened, voice full of sick triumph, "You've  failed . You can’t keep your family whole _and_ save  the world. You’ve got to pick  one ."

Vanya stiffened, She knew which one Five would pick. He’d spent forty-five years trying to stop the apocalypse. He wouldn’t hesitate now, not when there was still a chance of it happening. He turned to look and met Vanya's wide fearful eyes. With a frustrated growl, Five flashed out of existence, and Vanya braced herself, hands trembling. 

Five reappeared behind the Handler, swaying. 

She didn’t even have time to react before he snapped her neck with a sickening crack. She pitched forward, surprise etched in every line on her face, frozen there forever now, as she fell to the ground with a thump of finality.

Five limped forward shakily, kicking her body out of his way, "I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time."

His siblings gaped. Five frowned, "What? Did you think I was just going to let her keep talking shit?" 

Vanya spluttered, "What- but- you heard her. I'm supposed to end the world. Stopping the apocalypse has been... what you’ve been working towards for a long time." Allison pulled her closer in a sideways hug. Diego and Luther waited for his answer. 

Five rolled his eyes, collapsing into one of the seats, "My goal for forty-five years was stopping the apocalypse, yes." He refused to look at them when he spoke again, "But only in a roundabout way. My ultimate goal was to prevent your deaths from ever occurring. Stopping the apocalypse was merely a means to an end."

Klaus gasped, "I love you too, little brother." 

"I’m not your little brother!" 

Klaus fired back with a giggle, "Ten months in a war aged me prematurely! I’m the oldest!"

Five lurched again, snapping, "I’m fifty-eight asshole!" He hissed with pain and leaned back in the chair.

Diego snorted. Allison smiled hesitantly, Vanya as well, her confused grin small but genuine. Allison tapped Diego's shoulder and gestured. Diego nodded, somehow understanding her, "We should get home, get Mom to patch us up."

Luther spluttered, "But- what about the bodies?"

Klaus shrugged, "You’re right, Luther! We should probably get out of here before the police come." 

Allison knew that wasn’t the conclusion Luther had wanted them to come too.

Diego turned, "Fine, but _I’m_ driving this time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a line that didn’t make it into the final draft:
> 
> Five snapped her neck with a sickening crack, "Que, sera, sera, bitch."


	4. The danger is I’m dangerous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just fluff. All the fluff.

Pogo answered the door and, seeing their injuries, fetched their mother at once. Grace fussed over them, whisking Allison away to the infirmary for the second time that week. Five had nodded and gone to leave but Diego had frowned, "Where do you think you’re going? You’re hurt, go with mom."

Five straightened, wincing, "I’m fine." 

Luther looked up at that, clear disbelief in his eyes. Diego blinked, trying to get passed that blatant falsehood. Klaus, draped over the couch and drained from summoning Ben, lifted his head, "That is the worst lie I have ever heard little buddy."

Five took a step forward, fists clenched, ready to fight, but Vanya reached out and quietly placed her hand on his shoulder, "You should go get yourself checked out." 

Five paused, mouth pressed tightly together. Vanya added, "We just got you back. We don’t want you to get hurt again." 

Five huffed, "Fine." He stomped away, and Vanya blinked with surprise. That had actually worked?

Diego turned to go, "I should make sure he actually gets there." Vanya nodded, "I’ll come with you?" As Diego passed Luther, he huffed watching him stare at the wall, brows furrowed with puzzlement. He sighed, "Go lay down, big guy. You uh, look like you could use it."

Luther shook his head slowly, "I’m fine." He was already lowering himself onto the couch. 

* * *

By the time Diego and Vanya got to the infirmary, Vanya trailing behind Diego like she still wasn’t sure he was okay with her presence, Allison was already looking better. Grace hummed happily at the sight of more of her children. Vanya asked, "How’s Allison?"

Grace smiled sweetly, not at all like the Handler, her smile warm, genuine, and kind, "She’s doing better. The bullet is out and she’s coming along nicely. Diego, dear, would you get juice and the cookies I made out of the kitchen? Allison needs something to replenish her blood supply." 

Five perked up from where he was sitting on the counter in his undershirt, legs dangling over the floor, "Does she need someone to give blood?"

Grace shook her head, hands folded, "No, it’s not that bad. Just some food." 

Diego nodded, "Sure, mom. I’ll be right back."

Grace's mere presence seemed to calm her children. As she moved to examine Five on the counter, she tsked disapprovingly, "You ripped your stitches again." 

Five huffed. Vanya winced as Grace knelt, fixing the wound on his stomach. Vanya frowned as she noticed something, before asking quietly, pointing at the bandaid on his shoulder, "What... what happened? You... I thought only your arm was hurt." The thin slice on his forearm was still covered in gauze, albeit newer than what she’d wrapped up. 

Five glanced guiltily away, "I had an encounter with Hazel and Cha-Cha when I went to get Delores."

"Man, you gotta stop hurting yourself and then not telling us," They both looked up at Diego who’d returned with the food for Allison.

Five snapped, "I stitched it up just fine myself." He winced as Grace finished sewing and finished rewrapping the gauze, "There. Now where else are you hurting?" 

"Nowhere." 

Vanya rubbed her arms and Diego glared at her and jerked his head towards Five. She pointed to herself questioningly. Allison took a bite of a cookie and nodded encouragingly. 

Vanya swallowed and then broke the silence pleadingly, "Five, please." 

Five's mouth worked before he gave in, "Ugh, Mom, here." He lifted his right leg, unrolling his sock to reveal a mottled purple bruise spreading across his calf. Vanya blinked as Grace went to work.

Diego gaped, "What the hell, man?"

Five huffed, folding his arms, "I wasn’t careful enough, one of the Commission’s men hit me with the butt of their rifle. It’s not a big deal." 

Grace finished her examination, fixing him with a look of motherly disappointment, which Five would be lying if he said it didn’t make him feel a little guilty, "Take off your shoe please?" 

Five muttered angrily and removed his sock and shoe entirely to reveal another bruise discoloring his ankle, "And after I knocked him to the floor, I might have been too preoccupied with keeping his friend from strangling me that I uh twisted my ankle when he grabbed it." 

Grace nodded knowingly, "It's sprained." She smiled at him and patted his knee comfortingly, "Don’t worry, I'll fix it right up." 

Five crossed his arms, "I don’t see why this is important. I could fix it myself." 

Vanya wrinkled her forehead. Allison nudged Diego and he spoke at her insistence, "Family takes care of each other, Five. We know you can take care of yourself, but you don’t  _have_ to  anymore." 

Vanya nodded, lighting on an idea, "I owe you Five, let us do this, as a favor."

"A favor."

"Yeah, for your family."

Five grumped, but he didn’t teleport away when Grace set to work on his ankle and the three of them counted that as a win.

* * *

 

Five lay on the couch, arms thrown over his bandaged stomach, dressed once more in pajamas. A cup of hot coffee warmed his hands, his ankle propped up on the coffee table next to Allison's hurt leg. Five leaned against Klaus to his right who gesticulated wildly to the empty space next to him. Probably talking to Ben. Allison sat on the left of him, content to listen to Klaus chattering away. Luther took up a whole couch, trench coat making a blanket over him, eyes hooded as he struggled not to fall asleep, arms folded over his chest. Diego was letting Grace stitch up his arm on the third couch. 

Klaus hollered, "Vanya! Are you ready?" She poked her head through the door nervously, "Shouldn’t you all be recovering in bed though?" 

Pogo next to her shook his head, "Miss Vanya, they want to see you play." 

Diego nodded, "Yeah. I didn’t ride in a crowded car with these dipshits to the concert hall just to get shot at and not even hear you play."

Allison waved her notepad, 'family bonding time' circled about twenty times. Klaus muttered, "Technically we  _did_ have  family bonding time. Family bonding fighting for our lives time."

Five craned his head, exhaustion clear in his eyes, " _I_ would like to hear you play."

Vanya melted and came to stand in front of them. She took a deep breath. 

Allison nodded encouragingly. 

Five waited patiently. 

Vanya placed the bow against her violin and began to play for her family. 

**Author's Note:**

> as always :P my tumblr is here: https://socialanxietyandotherthings.tumblr.com


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